Understanding disordered eating at midlife and late life

Current knowledge regarding disordered eating beyond the period of emerging adulthood is limited. Guided by a life-span approach, the present study examined a model of disordered eating that used age, gender, body mass index (BMI), eating-related cognitions, and dissatisfaction with appearance as predictors of disordered eating. Participants were 125 adults in 4 age groups who completed measures. With the exception of BMI (i.e., men and middle-aged adults higher), no mean group differences emerged. No other mean age differences emerged. The authors tested the relations among model constructs using a path analysis. Results indicated that age exerted direct effects on disordered eating. The authors discuss results in terms of life-span development and the need to target understudied groups in research and clinical work.